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The Top 7 Collections of New York Fashion Week

This was the season that the middle fell out of New York fashion week, with Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, and co. seeking greener pastures in Paris. Did their absence make a difference? Absolutely, there’s a groundswell of fresh, engaged voices, and though they’re doing different things—from Shayne Oliver’s ungendered kink at Helmut Lang to DIY knits and surprisingly accomplished tailoring at Eckhaus Latta—they’re speaking collectively: “This is what the future of New York fashion looks like.”

That said, the standouts this week weren’t only the young or the underground. Tory Burch and Michael Kors delivered assured, compelling takes on our great American export: polished sportswear. Raf Simons’s exploration of American themes turned dark, which befits the present moment--sometimes it takes an outsider to uncover the obvious issues. Other times all you want is a bit of trippy or pretty fun. It was all light at Coach and Brock Collection. They’re 76 and three years old respectively, but they’re both American success stories because they’re confidently pursuing their own distinct paths.

Here, in reverse chronological order, are the best collections of New York fashion week.

Michael Kors CollectionMichael Kors had the week’s most diverse, most gorgeous cast of models, all of whom, whether they were in their teens or 40-something, went nearly makeup-free. The terrific clothes conjured a laidback beachy feeling: tie-dye cashmeres, gauzy sundresses, and crocodile flip-flops that even city girls will have a hard time resisting.

Coach 1941Since arriving in 2013, Stuart Vevers has transformed Coach from a leather goods concern into a go-to resource for statement outerwear and collectible dresses. This season’s come sprinkled with silver glitter and the streetwise scribbles of the late Keith Haring. The collection was an ode to early ’80s New York that will charm young people the world over.

Helmut Lang Seen by Shayne OliverThe shuttering of Hood by Air earlier this year left an avant garde-shaped hole in New York fashion week, so Shayne Oliver’s Helmut Lang one-off was as hyped as it gets. No one can electrify a room like the HBA founder. The main focus here was on the fetish factor, but Lang himself might’ve approved of Oliver’s boss parka and arch tailoring.

Eckhaus LattaIn deepest Bushwick, Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta raised the bar not just with their street casting—the bare-bellied pregnant model, artist Maia Ruth Lee, generated much social media chatter—but also with their clothes, which remain streetwise in spirit but exhibited a new refinement. In a season of pant suits, theirs are the likeliest to succeed.

Tory BurchTory Burch may have been taking cues from the famed interior designer David Hicks, who was known for his exuberance, but her collection revealed an erstwhile minimalist streak. Vivid of color and bold of print, the buoyant tunics, trousers, and slip dresses were streamlined enough to attract a whole new kind of customer.

Calvin KleinDespite the daily unraveling of American democracy and our general state of anxiety about climate change, the prospect of nuclear annihilation, institutionalized racism, etc., surprisingly few designers took up the issues on the runway. Raf Simons gets credit for doing so even obliquely. Extra points for the couture-ish dresses made from tent fabric.

Brock CollectionCalifornia designers Laura Vassar and Kris Brock have shown promise from the start, but this was their breakthrough collection: super-focused and unfailingly pretty. It can take a while to understand who your customer is, but now that Vassar and Brock do, the pay-off will be big. Their floral print dresses and other lacy confections are sure to be in heavy rotation on the wedding party circuit next summer.